Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-05-04
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
THE NATIONAL DRILL AND ITS EN-
cAMPMENT GROUNDS.

l
| Spring ut the Capital-stories Of AIexan-
der t. Alitohell-Poiitical Gossip-rwo
Views OF President Cleveland and the
Negro-Congressman Barnes.
Especial Corespondencel
WASHINGTON, April 25
The national drill which takes place here
ext month, promises to be a great success.
Mr.. De Leon. the manager, tells me that
thirty-one states and two territories win be
represented by regiments, by battalions and
by single companies of cavalry, artillery, in
fantry and zouaves, and that among these
will be some OF the best Organisations in the
| country. He estimates that the expenses of
the drill will be more than s10O. 900, and Gays
that the money prizes are deposited in the
Bank Of the Republic He expects that there
will be hundreds Of thousands OF strangers in
Washington to see it, and says that the rail
road rates, a cent and a half mile for the
round trip. are the cheapest ever known.
&fs
Twenty governors of states will be present
here at the time Of the drill with their full
stats, and May IS has been set aside as gov
there will be extensive parades, and on MoN-
day, May 80, the entire militia army which
will be gathered here will parade for Decora-
ton day, and there will he appropriate cere-
monies at Arlington cemetery. The encamp-
ment, as you know, is to be on the monument
grounds. These grounds lie along the Poto-
mac, in the very heart of Washington. They
| are bounded by public buildings and they
form a great park, on the edge of which
begin the grounds of the Smithsonian insti-
tuition and Of the agricultural department.
Just across the river from them, in plain
sight. is the old Arlington house which Mar
tina Custis used to own and which Gen. Lee
occupied at the time the war began. Stand
ing at the rivers edge and looking to the
right may be seen the state. war and navy
departments, the biggest granite building in
the world. Next to it is the White House,
and tine president can wheel around in his
chair and look out OF its back windows at the
grand encampment below. The treasury de-
partmeut is also in plain view, and in an OPP
posite direction the great Capitol building,
with its statue Of liberty. may be plainly
seen. The panorama Of the battle Of Bull
Run is within a stones throw OF this encamp
ment, and just back of it is the bureau OF
engraving and printing, where all the green
backs used by the nation are made The
shady walks. There are many coy benches
under these, and by the time the encampment
meets everything will be in full bloom.
.**
The troops will drill in the White lot just
below the presidents mansion. This is to
oe at once fenced in and grand stands which
will accommodate 25, 900 people are to he
erected. Underneath these stands there will
be restaurants, saloons, aiding and refresh
lnent rooms Each night during the en-
campment there will be concerts by
noted bands from various sections of the
country, and there will be realistic pyro-
rama, or hrework drama, Of the battle be-
tween the Merrimac and the Monitor in
Hampton roads.
The manager Of this national drill, Mr., T.
G. De Leon, was at one time the managing
Sditor of The Mobile Register He is slender.
lark complexioned man, PERTAINS Is wears or
age, and he is South Carolinian by birth. He
was clerk in the war department when Jeff
Davis was its secretary, and after the war
vas over was employed on the literary staff
II several of the New York journals He
mas written successful plays, and he was the
ecreiary of the interstate drill and encamp-
nent at Mobile two years ago. He is a
very busy fellow and is full of life aud energy.
-.
u
,eauty. The grass is green in the parks. and
he buds OF the hundred and more thousands
# Washington shade trees are bursting into
caves. The hyacinths and the crocuses have
oecn planted by the government gardeners in
all the circles, and the flower beds of the
White House and the treasury are full of
beauty. visited Fortress Monroe last week,
out l find that vegetation is much further
advanced here than there The sun is
warmer, the grass is greener and the peach |
trees are fuller Of pink blossoms. We have
thrown aside our overcoats here, it is TO be |
hoped, for the summer and all over Wash |
ington the spring building has commenced. ] |
walked out in the country to the Massachu- !
'etts avenue extension yesterday and found a |
small army OF men and carts at work cutting
Town the hills and filling up the valleys.
went on around Georgetown to the presidents |
nome, and the grass is green on the fields of
Oak View. There are beds of flowers about
the house, and the president has transformed
II from rough looking farm into one of the